Search-light projectile.



A. WNSGHE. SEABGH LIGHT PBOJBOTILE.

APPLIGATIOE FILED HAY17, 1911.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

lill!! y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLF WNSCHE, OF BERGE-RORBECK, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 FRIED. KRUPPAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, 0F ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

. SEARCH-LIGHT PROJECTILE.

Specication of Letters Patent. Application led May 17, 191.1.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911. Serial No. 627,698.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLr VVNSGHE, 'a subject of the Emperor of Germany,and a resident of Berge-Borbeck, Germany, have invented certain new anduseful Improve-` ments in Search-Light Projectiles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to search light projectiles that areprovided with parachutes, and the object of the invention is to supplyan illuminating body of great comp'actness and at the same timeA toprovide a perfectly sure unfolding of the parachute.

One embodiment of my invention has been shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein Figure l is an axial section of the search lightprojectile; Fig. 2, in larger scale, an axial section of one of theilluminating bodies or candles with a folded parachute, and Fig. 3, anaxial section of one of the illuminating bodies or candles with unfoldedparachute in the same scale as Fig. 1. j

The search light projectile represented in Fig. l is, generallyspeaking, constructed on the lines of a base chamber shrapnel. A is theshell, B the bursting charge, C the ejecting disk, and D the ignitingtube, connecting the time-fuse E with-the bursting charge B. In severallayers, diaphragms G, the candles or illuminating bodies F aredistributed around the igniting tube D in the hollow chamber of theshell A. The principal parts of the 1 candle are the illuminatingmaterial H, a parachute J, made of strong material, suitable to befolded, and inserted between the two, a compression spring or otherpower source K (Figs. 2 and 3).. These several parts of the candle areinclosed in a casing F1. Said casing is divided into two compartments by`a partition f2, one of these compartments inclosing the illuminatingmaterial H and a match tl for igniting'the same. The other compartmentof the casing F1 is closed during transportation by a loosely fittinglid F3 making a housing for the compression spring K, as well as for thefolded parachute J (Fig. 2), the said spring K resting with one endagainst the partition f2 and with the other against a loose disk N,constituting a support for the'parachute J. A chord 1 connects theparachute J with separated by.

the casing F1 in the manner indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, by means of acollar p1 on the bolt P engaging with the opposite side of the partitionf2. j

As shown in Fig. 1, the candles F are arranged in the projectile in sucha manner, that the lids F3 are placed toward the base of the projectile.The height of the layers in which the candles are stacked in theprojectile, is identical with the height of one candle including itslid, so that the lids F3 although subjected to t-he pressure of thesprings K, will easily be kept in position by the rear walls in thehollow cells provided for the candles in the projectile.

In operation the time-fuse of the now described search light projectile,is set to ignite the bursting charge when the projectile is on thedescending part of the trajectory. When the bursting charge B has beenignited, the flame sets lire to the match k1 and subsequently to eachseparate candle. As soon as the candle is set free, the spring K throwsoil the lid Fa from the casing F1 and ejects the parachute. Directly theparachute is outside the casing, the resistance of the air, actingthereon, unfolds it. Owing to the fact that the compartment of thecasing F, inclosing the parachute, and cappedl by t-he lid, is turnedtoward the base of the projectile' while inclosed therein, and4 that theejection of the candle takes place on the descending part of thetrajectory, when the rear end lies higher than the front end of thecandle, the unfolding of the parachute is greatly facilitated. Aftertheir ejection, the candles fall slowly to the ground while the lightingmaterial is burn- 1n A Ilaving thus described my invention, what I claimas new therein andvdesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A search light projectile comprising a, plurality of illuminatingbodies and means for sustaining said bodies in the air after liberation;said means comprising a parachute, folded and housedin. a compartment ofthe illuminating bodies, while said bodies are deposited in theprojectile chamber.

2. A search light projectile comprismg a plurality of illuminatingbodies and means for sustaining said bodies in the air after vliberation; said means comprising a parachute, folded and housed 1n acompartment ofthe illuminating bodies, while said bodies are depositedin the projectile chamber, and said illuminating bodies containing apower source acting o n said parachute for ejection.

3. A Search light projectile comprising a plurality of illuminatingbodies and means for sustaining said bodies in the air after liberation;said means comprising a parachute, folded and housed in a compartment ofthe illuminating bodies, said bodies constructed to lill entirely thecells intended for them in the projectile, and deposited therein withthe end containing the parachute turned toward the base of theprojectile.

4L. A search light projectile comprising a shell body, a time-fuse, anda bursting charge, in combination With a plurality of illuminatingbodies shaped to conform with the shape of the cells of said shell body,parachutes for said bodies, tained in a compartment of the illuminatingbodies; While housed in the projectile; a power source also contained insaid bodies and made to act on the parachute when the illuminating bodyhas been liberated from the projectile on exploding the time-fuse, saidparachutes sustaining the several illuminating bodies in the air Whilethe illuminating material is burning.

The foregoing specication signed at Barmen, Germany, this 21st day ofApril,

ADOLF WUNSCHE. [ns] ln presence of- CHAs. J. WRIGHT, ALFRED HENKEL.

folded and con- L

